A bad day for his haters! Isco once again proves that he is a unique player

Real Madrid ran out 4-1 winners away at Osasuna on Sunday afternoon, but there was one player in white who stood out above the rest: Isco.

In a match that everyone expected at El Sadar, with Los Blancos having to show fight, hunger and determination for the entire 90 minutes, Isco once again showed that there are few better than him when he's on form.

The 27-year-old scored the equaliser and put Real Madrid on his back when they were struggling, while he has now netted 50 goals for the club.

Isco still has some who say that he is not direct enough, that he doesn't hurt the opposition, that he only knows how to turn back when on the ball... Maybe his haters will be a bit quieter this weekend.

Isco came to Real Madrid's rescue at just the right time, when Osasuna were 1-0 ahead and were pushing for a second.

Zinedine Zidane was visibly concerned, yet the No.22 started getting on the ball more and linking up with his teammates in a display that helped Los Blancos get back into the game and ultimately go on to secure all three points.

Real Madrid are a better team with Isco in the XI.

Gareth Bale came back into the starting line-up but did little to show that he should be a consideration ahead of the vital games against Barcelona and Manchester City coming up.

For a player of his calibre, or what we remember of him at least, he had next to no impact on the game and was unable to even link up with his teammates for much of his time on the pitch.

In the end, Zidane saw sense and withdrew him for Lucas Vazquez in the 70th minute.

It sounds easy to say, but the match in Pamplona reinforces the theory that Real Madrid wouldn't have lost to Real Sociedad last Thursday in the Copa del Rey if Ferland Mendy was on the pitch.

The French left-back provides insurance at the back and deals with anything that comes down his flank.

Mendy is compared with Marcelo but, at this point, it is night and day between them; whereas the Brazilian is often seen late in the replays of goals conceded, it is the complete opposite with the 24-year-old.

Sergio Ramos and Nacho Vidal were lucky to not be sent off at El Sadar.

The Real Madrid captain got to the ball before he ended up kicking Ruben Garcia's ankle in an action that deserved at least a yellow, yet he ended up being able to get away with it. He would end up picking up a yellow in the second half for a much more innocent foul.

But if Ramos' tackle was tough, Nacho Vidal's foul on Fede Valverde deserved a straight red. It could have been a season-ending injury for the Uruguayan, however Jesus Gil Manzano only brandished a yellow.

In both cases, the VAR room did not want to intervene.

Lucas Vazquez never fails. It doesn't matter if he plays five minutes or is named amongst the starters, he always delivers.

The Galician came on in the 70th minute for Bale at a time when Osasuna were pushing more in the hope of grabbing an equaliser, but that enabled Real Madrid to break and Karim Benzema picked out Lucas, whose shot squirmed under Sergio Herrera.

Lucas received criticism at the start of the season, but Zidane has never hidden his love for the winger, who pays him back whenever he is out on the pitch.